Tuesday, January 03, 2006, 1/03/2006 07:58:00 AM

More details on a criminal case reported last month regarding an employee who left Marvell and went to work for a competitor, Broadcom. According to Linux hardware news site, LinuxElectrons, the indictment alleges that the employee committed computer fraud by downloading dozens of files from Marvell's extranet containing proprietary and trade secret information about Marvell's switches and transceiver products. On two later occasions, he downloaded even more containing confidential and trade secret information about Marvell's products.

If nothing else, the indictment demonstrates the importance of controlling access to company extranets containing trade secrets information.